Author: Neale

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”- Lamentations 3:22-23

 I am captivated every time I walk down a beach and watch the ocean waves crash onto the shore. It is easy to become mesmerized by the constant pounding, white foam, and continuously changing shape and color of this powerful water. What awes me the most, however, is the fact that the waves never stop! I can walk down the beach one summer and know with confidence that when I return a year later the waves will still be pounding the shoreline, reshaping it, and exposing more shells while providing cover for the tiny minnows. Kids will still be using their skim boards and lovers will still walk hand in hand as they skirt the flowing water.

My favorite place in the world to watch this perpetuity is in a river while fly-fishing. The majority of my most enjoyable worship experiences are while I stand in a river soaking up the wildness and the majesty of the mountains around me. This setting alone energizes me, but because I am fishing I can always manage to focus enough on fishing to present my fly in the right ripple to draw the attention of a beautiful rainbow trout. But part of my amazement in this setting is the way that the river never stops flowing. From a source way above me the water begins to obediently follow gravity as it makes its way to the ocean. And the melting snow and falling rain make generous contributions to the parade of life along the way. Because of this, the river’s journey never stops. The sound of the water falling joyously down the mountainside contributes to this glorious experience. I consider it an orchestral masterpiece on a mind numbing level. It displays, to me, an absolutely amazing Designer. I thank Him often for this intoxicating experience.

Both of these settings, the ocean and the river, add to the awe we can experience with God. They display His eternality. The Psalmist writes, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” God was not created and, thus, has no beginning. Neither will He ever cease to exist. He will always be sovereign.

Although rivers we see will cease to exist when the new heaven and new earth are created, His reign will be perpetual. One of the parts of heaven that I think I am most excited about is the River of Life, which will flow from His throne. Revelation tells us the water will be crystal clear and the river will be lined with the Tree of Life, a tree that we have not seen since Adam and Eve were escorted out of the garden. Imagine the devastation that would have followed had they also eaten of the tree of life! There would be no end to our sinful state. God in His perpetual love made sure we did not eat of that fruit. In the new garden we are free to enjoy of the Tree of Life which will line the banks of the River of Life!

My mind wanders to this literally endless river. I believe that we will be able to follow this beautiful river and never reach it’s end (because there is no end)! And yet, we will not wander from his watchful and loving presence. He will be with us forevermore. Imagine! Perpetuity at its best!

Psalm 136 explains all the things God has done and yet has never failed! He has the only perfect track record. Sometimes we may think He has abandoned us or stopped loving us, but with hindsight we realize this is simply not true. Here is how Psalm 136 ends:

“God saw the trouble we were in. God’s love never fails. He rescued us from our enemies. God’s love never fails. He gives food to all who live. God’s love never fails. Praise God in heaven! God’s love never fails.”

Despite our sometimes, perilous circumstances, God has never failed us. Our ability to see clearly is limited by our finitude. He is infinite and has no such confinement. Nor is their confinement in His goodness and mercy! His character is perpetual.

Questions to Ponder.

1. As you think about your life, how might considering God’s unending love help your perspective about whatever you’re going through? Think of specific ways this could help.
2. Where do you struggle to believe God’s love is relentless and perpetual?
3. Consider making a “thankful” list of as many things as you can think of that God has provided for you (job, health, friends, health problems, finances, opportunities to serve, family).
4. Consider memorizing and drawing comfort from Psalm 19:1-6 which reads,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.” Psalm 19-1-6

Prayer:

“Lord, I know that your word says to give thanks in all things. It’s much easier to thank you for the good things, but I want to thank you for the not so good things and ask you to use them to help me see your how you never change. I want to trust you in good and bad times and knowing that you are eternal and consistently good helps me do that. Even though my circumstances make me feel one way, I know the reality is that your love never fails. It’s as predictable as the sun rising each morning or the waves continuing to crash on the beach. Thank you for your perpetual love.”

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”- Isaiah 43:2

It was the phone call you dread as a parent. We got the worst news we thought we could hear. A good friend in Big Fork, Montana called me to ask if I’d heard about my son Philip. He told me Philip was in surgery and he just wanted to make sure we knew. Of course, I was shocked and did not know about the accident. So I called the Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana and found out our son was in surgery because of a motorcycle accident that had occurred at 3am that morning. Eventually I spoke to a doctor who told me that he was still in surgery and, although stable, the surgery would take an additional three hours. It was a punch in the gut. We called our other two children and asked them to come home to wait for a phone call from his neurosurgeon. We began texting friends and family about his accident and asked them to pray. The school he was due to graduate from in a week, Rocky Mountain College, turned out to be a great group and a community. We heard that many of Philip’s friends had stayed in the hospital since news spread that he was in an accident. His good friend Sam had done such a great job of being the point person because she and her husband cared for him like they did own children. That was very apparent to us. We eventually heard from the doctor who told us that he broke his nose and that a piece of bone went into his brain. They successfully removed that bone from the frontal lobe, but this, of course, was difficult to comprehend and accept. The future remained very uncertain and intensely uncomfortable. The numbness in our soul began to nag. Tears came and went like the waves of the ocean, unpredictable and often uncontrollable.

We left our home and had our kids take us to the airport where we hopped on a plane for Billings. We arrived at 11pm. It was, as you would imagine, a horribly long flights. When we arrived at the hospital there were still ten or so of Philip’s faithful friends who were in the waiting room late that night. That encouraged us so much. It was simultaneously comforting just to be with him and also disturbing to see him in such condition. He looked very rough with tubes and wires all over the place. It was encouraging, though, when we grabbed his hand and as we spoke reassurance, he acknowledged our presence. He had been responding to basic commands, which was a good sign for neurological recovery. We were just relieved to be with him, although small, that was a comfort to us. We left the hospital at 3am and went to the hotel for a couple of hours of “sleep.”

The next morning the nurse said that he was doing quite well and he was succeeding 100% in regards to the neurological tests she gave him. He even indicated that he wanted to communicate by writing. He made a “writing” motion to say this.

Even though the tears came and went, we were encouraged. The unpredictable state of his brain injury and how it would affect his personality, cognitive abilities, and his career, were yet to be determined. It was a sad time for all of us. Here is the passage of Scripture where we camped out during this horrific moment:

“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up: the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

We were very sad about the accident, and occasionally angry that it happened because it shook our world. As I mentioned we cried a lot, and cried out to the Lord a lot more. It was disconcerting to experience such painful moments.

As believers, when such pain enters our lives, we can respond in one of two ways, usually responding both ways during the experience. First, we can try our best to rationalize and make sense of what we’re experiencing. During those moments we do our best to understand the dilemma. But, as Christians, we must eventually arrive at the second way, and that is acquiescence to our God and King. He is sovereign and always righteous even when He may not show His will. But it is a perfect will. His ways are not our ways, but His character is always perfect and He is entirely trustworthy.

Through our experience, we were comforted in our pain by God. He displayed His love through the inner peace, but also through His other children who prayed for us and comforted us through their prayers, kind words, and tangible gifts (food, money, time, hugs, tears).

When you encounter inexplicable circumstances where do you turn? Who or what do you trust?

How does God’s character encourage you as you walk through the valley? How have you seen His perfect will provide peace?

Read Matthew 8:23-27. How can we find comfort in this story?

In what ways are you seeking comfort today?

Prayer:

“Father, I want to believe and trust You no matter what life brings my way, but it is sometimes very difficult. I don’t understand you and your ways, but I want to trust you regardless because you have never failed me. Your mercies are new every morning. You’re kindness never fails. Your word says that in Christ You call me friend and have called me to holiness and righteousness. In Christ, you have adopted me. I thank you for that but am often caught up in the thinking that says, like the man whose son was healed by Jesus despite his struggle to trust Him. He said, “I do believe, Lord, but help me in my unbelief.” That, too, is my prayer Lord. Help me in my weakness to recall that you are with me when I am in deep waters. Thank You for never failing me. I worship You.”

“He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19

As I approached the greenway by the river a feeling of wonder overcame me. The setting was beautiful with a refreshing cool breeze blowing through the changing leaves of brilliant yellow and orange. I walked across the New River through the covered bridge. Before me lay a paved mountain trail that ran beside the river twisting with it’s bends and turns. It was a familiar trail that I had often run on, but I never tired of its beauty and peacefulness. I always left refreshed and never grew tired of the setting with the sounds of the river, and the solitude it brought. I thought this would be a day just like all the others as I took off on my 3 mile run. When I came off the bridge I noticed to my left a handwritten piece of paper taped to a trail sign. I am by nature a very curious person so I stopped to read what the sign said.

“Lost. Necklace with multi colored stones. Sentimental value. Reward offered”

There was also a phone number at the bottom of the sign. But I thought little of it, except to feel a hint of empathy, but quickly headed down the trail for my run. I pessimistically thought, “that person will never find her necklace.” As I ran by the river, my mind kept going back to the sign, and the owner’s necklace. It didn’t take long before something interesting began to happen; I started to look for the necklace. It wasn’t very easy either because it began to affect my stride as I looked side to side trying my best to spot the necklace. Occasionally I would slow down when I saw something shiny. But as I searched the trail I felt a growing desire within me to find this piece of someone’s history. The more I looked, the more I prayed that I would find the necklace. Soon I began to think about what I would say to the person if I found it. I didn’t want the reward money. I only wanted to see the poor girl’s face when I handed it to her. Especially when I refused the reward money.

But, alas, I never found it. Instead the whole run started my mind churning and asking myself why it was so important for me to find this unknown girl’s necklace? It didn’t make sense to me at first, until I realized that the reason I felt such compassion was because God is a compassionate God. And we are made in his image. We have his DNA hardwired into us and the most uncorrupt basics of emotion are there essentially because God place them there. This realization encouraged me and brought a smile to my face. But it also occurred to me that this was an intangible proof of God. It was like a forensic piece of evidence pointing to this remarkable Creator. I cared about the woman’s necklace, as unimportant as that might seem, because it’s shows how God cares for us, his children.

It reminded me of the time one of my kid’s bikes was stolen when we lived in Colorado one summer. I searched and searched, but to no avail. Then I simply prayed that God would show me his kindness, not because he had to, but because he was good and compassionate. As soon as I said “amen” I looked up and fifty yards away I saw the bike!

Living out our faith and trusting God each day doesn’t require that he make our life easier or trouble free. Sometimes our lives are remarkably challenging and painful, but when we focus on his character and his consistency we can navigate those moments successfully. After all he told David in Psalm 23 that he would walk with him through the valley, not remove him from it. Being with us is, in reality, enough.

As you think about God’s compassions what comes to mind? How has he shown his compassion to you?

How does it strike you to know that you are made in God’s image? How might this affect how you live your life today?

Create a thank you list to express your thankfulness for God’s compassion upon you in saving you.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

Most of this story is on Caringbridge.com/visit/philipdavis4, but I was unable to post it on that site. It is on my Facebook page, but if you can’t access that please feel free to watch this short video of Philip receiving his diploma from Rocky Mountain College. The reason this was significant can be read about on the Caringbridge site.

Thank you.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fneale.davis.35%2Fvideos%2F10158611520355134%2F&show_text=0&width=560

Listen to this man, the Senate Chaplain, as he speaks at the National Prayer Breakfast. It helps that he has a very dramatic voice, but his words are inspiring. Enjoy this remarkable message.

https://www.c-span.org/video/standalone/?c4654485

I was speaking to a friend recently. He’s a younger man that I have known mostly from afar. From time to time I run into this guy and have grown to like and respect him a lot. He’s a kind person. He’s friendly, comfortable to be around, smart, and quick with a kind word. I saw him at a conference this fall and felt compelled to ask him how he was doing. And I meant, “how are you really doing?” This fall, as you know, was very tumultuous in our country. It wasn’t necessarily because of the election. But the election exposed the duplicitous underbelly of the dysfunction in our great land. It was a weird election and brought out some very strong emotion in people. Friends have turned against friends in some cases, but there has often been a lot of head scratching as people on opposite sides of the political isle look at each other incredulously. It has been very confusing, but perhaps not entirely surprising.

My friend answered my question honestly with a, “it’s been kind of rough. No,” he said, “it’s been very rough.” I asked him to explain further and I just listened. It seems that half of our nation can look past the acrid and toxic atmosphere that our two leading presidential candidates created. The other half stand in a lingering daze. I realize that there is much I don’t understand about the issue of race because I’m from the majority culture. I was born in the South in a middle class neighborhood. I have never had to struggle with certain things. For the majority culture “the talk” implies an explanation of the “birds and bees.” For African Americans that talk means learning how to be pulled over by the police. Blue lights behind my car means an annoyance. For many in minority cultures it means danger and invokes real fear. My friend told me that he sometimes walks out the door wondering if that day will be his last. My friend is not the only African American who feels that way. I never had that thought or fear. Ever. I’m sad that my friend has to wonder what each day will bring. But, there is more to being a minority.

My name never interfered with any job application I made because it sounded like a majority culture name. I’ve never had anyone stop and stare at me with distrust. I’ve never experienced any of those things. I’m not saying every majority culture person is a racist. But I am saying that sometimes (often) we are blind to the struggle of what it’s like to be in the minority culture. It’s, quite honestly, very hard. The closest I can come to feeling what it might be like is when I have traveled overseas and it was painfully obvious that I was an American. In the former Yugoslavia while walking down a street in Belgrade, people stared at me, pointed, and often laughed. It felt awkward and very uncomfortable, and embarrassed me. But being black in America is much harder than that. In Belgrade, I knew I’d be heading home where I wouldn’t be judged.

It took awhile for me to figure this out, but what happened in Ferguson, Missouri had very little to do with what Michael Brown had been doing to get shot. It had to do with the larger narrative for what African Americans (and other minorities) have to experience in our nation. That’s what angered this minority. That’s what fueled such feelings of desperation that it boiled over into the streets. But Ferguson was just the beginning.

I understand that black on black crime is extremely high (though there may be some reasons for that in regards to our system). I also believe our police force is dominated by good men and women (many of them black). I deeply, deeply appreciate them and embrace that reality, but we really need to learn from what has been happening in our country. We need to empathize with the minority cultures in our country. We can’t keep looking at things the way we have. I sure don’t have all the answers but I wonder if as a Christian it might be good for me to humbly begin to ask good questions and make changes in my own way of thinking. Here’s what I’m committed to doing.

1. Pray and ask the Lord to help me see this struggle the way He does.
2. I want to call out racism when I see it. Not just stand by because I’m afraid.
3. I want to ask my African American brothers and sister how I can learn.
4. I commit to addressing all people by their name and be sure I don’t look “through them.” (I never realized many minorities feel invisible).
5. I want to learn to appreciate their culture, not expect them to blend into mine.
6. I refuse to listen and tell jokes that demean minorities and are racist.
7. I commit to pray for our world to know Jesus (who was more likely a man of color since he was a middle eastern Jew). After all, Jesus is the answer to our sin struggle.

I hope you read this with an open heart and mind. I know for the white majority it can feel like the rules are fluid and hard to understand. We don’t have to perfectly understand, but we need to try to trust God to change our heart and open our eyes. We will someday be all together in heaven where we’ll live eternally with people from every tongue, tribe, and nation. Let’s start now.

“Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” -Martin Luther

I just heard about the Dallas incident where five police officers were shot to death. Our culture is rapidly changing and, unfortunately, not for the better. There is so much happening in our nation and around the world that can cause us to despair and surrender to fear. I confess I am by nature somewhat pessimistic but I am hearing similar comments from many people and I know it’s not just me that feels the palatable angst that is in the air.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Another African American man has been killed recently and it’s hard to understand why. It seems racism, though it exists under the surface in all people, continues to be the scourge of our society. Majority cultures don’t seem able (or willing) to empathize with minority cultures. Minority cultures suffer in ways that majority cultures fail to understand. Black fathers are compelled by necessity to have “the conversation” with their kids. That conversation is about how to behave when pulled over by a white police officer. The purpose of this conversation is to protect their children from suffering mistreatment or even death. It saddens me that a father would need to have such a conversation just because he is black. Don’t misunderstand me. I know the majority of cops are good cops and not all majority culture people are calloused and insensitive. Though the subject of racism is very important, this is not a blog post about that specific issues as much as it is about the injustice and danger of living on this side of heaven. The problems are prolific. Injustice is in our fabric because of universal brokenness and rebellion against God.

Terrorism has visited our shores and is unlikely to leave them. Our nation is penetrable with or without a wall. Things have unsurprisingly changed in our nation. It is no longer an asset to say you are a Christian. Sometimes it draws ire and sarcasm, if not outright hatred. Culture today is eerily reminiscent of Romans 1:32 where Paul writes, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Our culture has attempted to erase God from our lives and we seem to be experiencing the ramifications of this deadly cultural shift. We have failed to embrace God’s decree, but we have also ignored His kindness. His decrees carry two positive principles behind them: to protect us and to provide for us.

Both of our political parties seem incapable of rescuing the nation. Both have corruption. Both have acquiesced to careless standards. Our hope cannot be in eradicating terrorism, racism, or finding the perfect leader. Those standards are not irrelevant and can be noble in and of themselves, but they are not what we need. It’s easy for us to faint with fear or anger at the direction our world is going. It is indeed very ugly and very serious. Al Mohler writes, “The very notion of right and wrong is now discarded by large sectors of American society. Where it is not discarded, it is often debased. Taking a page out of Alice in Wonderland, modern secularists simply declare wrong, right, and right, wrong.” And, of course, he is right in his assessment. Without being simplistic, I want to echo Luther’s words that as followers of Christ we must be intentional by lighting a candle rather than merely cursing the darkness.

Jesus is the light of the world. He deserves our devotion and unconditional surrender. Only He can rescue us from what is the most serious issue of all human history: will you spend eternity with or without God. Only Jesus can provide, and indeed freely offers, peace. His peace exists in the midst of chaos. Remember the storm where He fell asleep in the boat? Only He can change our hearts and its from our hearts that our behavior flows. But Jesus offers so much more. He tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control, goodness, gentleness, and faithfulness. This is where we need to lead our nation and our world. This is how we can light a candle. Our goal is not world peace for the sake of world peace. That simply will never happen until Christ returns. Our goal is to rest in our Father’s presence. He is a strong tower. Our goal is to worship Him. Only He is worthy of all praise. Our goal is to find our satisfaction in Him. His living water will satisfy us.

Lighting a candle in the darkness anticipates that we run to the Father. It means that we share with the world where peace can be found. It means that we pray together for our world and our leaders. It means we surrender our lives to Christ regardless of our circumstances. It means we look up ahead where there will be eternal relief from our brokenness. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Our hope for the nation and for the world lies in Jesus, not in a perfect world. Make no mistake, He will restore all things. In the meantime He will provide you with the peace you need for today. Cast your anxiety on Him for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Neale Davis, M.A., D.Min.

Deep within the human heart and mind there is a natural process of story that remains consistent throughout all of mankind. It is harmonious, even in chaos. It is a process, although sometimes complicated, and it is most robust when brought to a satisfying solution.

I am talking about how mankind communicates story. It begins with a setting where all the pertinent elements of the story are introduced and the characters are met and developed. Boundaries are created; color is applied, and a reader, or listener, is captured and drawn into the story.

Some stories are intriguing. Some are complicated. Many are tragic, but some are funny and light-hearted. Because of each character and setting it seems that no two stories are exactly alike, but the pattern is identical.

After a setting is established and we meet the characters, we step deeper into the storyline. Details are brought into focus, and we are introduced to the problem. It is the problem that subtly speaks about struggle on many levels. Every story has a problem that must be sorted out. It can contain tragedy like “Romeo and Juliet,” where the young lovers end their own lives. Perhaps it’s comical and the problem speaks to a laughable commonly experienced situation, either one that has been lived by the reader or dreamt of in a “what if” scenario. Perhaps the problem is romantic and a lover has been found, rejected, or misunderstood. In either case, there is a problem that must be confronted and sorted through.

The problem eventually reaches a crescendo. At this point, one begins to look and long for a solution. Sure enough, as the pattern concludes the solution comes. Some solutions are very satisfying, while others are not. Regardless of the outcome, though, the audience walks away with resolution. Sometimes the solution ends in tragedy, but there is still resolution. The pattern ends here only to be repeated in the next chapter or a new story. The story has gone full circle.

This pattern was created by God. It, to some degree, reflects His nature. It shows His personality, and it is a pattern that His creation naturally reflects, like a child reflects what he learns from his parents. This pattern is God’s idea and is intended for his finite creation. It is what we see in the Scriptures.

Our story is an epic. It covers eternity past and eternity future. It involves a most remarkable Creator who is the source of all life. He expresses Himself in so many remarkable ways, but we see His love expressed in the part of the story where we enter the stage. God loves and pours His love out in ways that we simply cannot understand, but we are the recipients of His artistry, compassion, creativity, purity, and remarkable kindness. He expresses His Fatherly love to His Son Who then loves us in like kind in the power of the Holy Spirit. This amazing God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, tells a story in the most beautiful but mysterious way. The love story shows His passionate pursuit of His creatures.

The story contains love, comedy, tragedy, and every genre of story one can imagine. This story that He invites one into displays glories beyond belief, but make no mistake. He invites the players to Himself as the source of all life. He makes a way through His peerless Son for us to enter the story as His friends. This artistry displays a pattern that awes the mind and the heart. This pattern is divine. It begins with Him. It is about Him, and in His remarkable way, He invites people into the pattern. It is harmonious, even in chaos; it is a process, although sometimes complicated, and it is most robust when brought to a satisfying solution. If you respond you will never have to fear being cast from the stage. Believe or not, He extends an invitation to you to participate. The response is for you to decide. (See John 3:16).

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”

-G.K. Chesterton

A friend of mine recently shared this quote with me and I found it very moving and encouraging. Upon writing this article I thought, “Why does it resonate with me”? After all one could dismiss Chesterton as being too simplistic and perhaps speaking of God on too elementary of terms. Yet, I think not. In fact, I think perhaps we (me) are too full of ourselves and that perhaps his quote is not simple enough. The problem, I think, is our lack of amazement at the God who created all that we know.

This quote creates an image in my mind of a very endearing God. Not that we should try to sanitize or contain God, for that would be useless and futile. Young Lucy asked of Mrs. Beaver in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” if Aslan was safe, and the rebuke came back,

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

No, that’s not what I am speaking of and I’m not talking about an old and gentle grandfather character. I carry great and profound respect for our marvelous God. This is the God who spoke 400 billion stars into existence, just in the Milky Way! But I also note that He calls me friend and it’s that portion of His character that makes Him so endearing. Paul Tripp made a good point when he wrote, “Awe of God will produce willing submission to his will, and a lack of awe of God will lead me to step over his boundaries.” I found it settling to know that because of His grandness I am drawn into His loving arms. I want to move toward Him, to trust Him, and to love Him….regardless of my life’s circumstances.

Indeed, the marvelous God, the only living God, is not some despotic and deistic entity who is fragile and temperamental. He is certainly just and can be angered, but He is safe for His children. He can be trusted by those who believe Him and have surrendered themselves to Him. He is merciful and has done what no other god has done. You see, in all of religion, including, atheism, it becomes all about hoping one has done enough to reach whatever goal that life may promise the individual. With this true and living God, however, He has chosen to reach down to us. He has condescended and made Himself approachable through Jesus. Yes, I am endeared to Him on a grand scale, but I am also endeared to Him by His tenderness, His complexity, and His eternal appetite of infancy.

Today, I will choose to believe like a child and stand in awe as I watch this God say to the sun, the moon, and the daisy, “Do it again!”

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of Heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them” Psalm 146:5-6

I was nineteen as we drove toward North Georgia. Our small rag tag group included myself, a rock climbing instructor friend, and two other students. We were making our way to Mount Yonah which is outside of Helen, Georgia. I remember feeling nervously excited about the idea of rock climbing. I love the outdoors: the openness, the smells, the sounds, and the dangers of being in the wild. Mike, the instructor, lived in my dorm and was a proficient rock climber and instructor. He invited me to drive to Helen for my first rock climbing adventure. I eagerly accepted.

As we had driven up we could see this monstrosity from the road. It looked glorious and promised to provide incredible views from the top. It took a little bit of time to hike to the base of this broad but exposed mountain. When we got to the base, Mike set up all the ropes by first climbing himself to anchor the rope 90 feet up so that we students could climb safely to the top and then repel down. When he finished, he gave us basic instructions on the safety of the ropes and the all important terms used in this buddy system. It was pretty impressive, too. Rock climbers are religious about announcing their climb, requesting permission to climb, and then waiting for permission by the “belayer” to climb (the person who held your rope while sitting and wrapping it around her waist). After his instruction he looked at me and said,“Ready?” Driven by pride and adrenalin, I said, “Let’s do it!”

With coaching along the way I made it to the anchor Mike had secured earlier and it felt good. I was able to look to my left and to my right to enjoy the view, but then Mike said, “Okay, come on down! Now I want you to lean back!” I yelled back incredulously, “What?!” He calmly repeated himself, as if he’d heard that question before in his instructional days. “Lean back!” he said. I thought about it for a millisecond and yelled down, “You lean back!” I thought I was supposed to climb back down backing myself toward the ground! All I heard at that point was, “Trust me. You’ll be okay.” I swallowed so loudly that I was sure the group below could hear me, but then I very counterintuitively leaned back. I had never been more afraid than at that moment. I was ninety feet up a sheer cliff and every fiber of my being said to cling to the rope and cry for momma. I resisted the urge to call for her and reluctantly leaned back. It was awesome! The anchor, the rock, and the person belaying me below held securely and I was able to enjoy a freedom I had never felt before. The perspective was amazing and the feeling was one of exhilaration. When I got to the bottom everyone congratulated me and we celebrated my climb together.

Surrender can be like that. Most always it feels counter intuitive and can even feel foolish. The key, however, to your surrender is to whom or to what are you surrendering? In many instances surrender is foolish. Surrendering to an untrustworthy person, or a secret passion that leads you to shame is a foolish thing to do. But without question it is a very good thing to surrender yourself and all of your circumstances to God. The reason is because He is reliable and is incapable of failing us. As I look back on my life I cannot think of a single instance where God dropped the ball. True enough, I admit there were times when I thought He had failed. But, I was wrong. Time and perspective proved that. God is known as the Rock. He is immovable, and Jesus described himself by saying he was the same yesterday, today, and forever. That’s reassuring to say the least. Rocks are consistently secure and never really change.

Surrender remembers that God is Father. It frees one from the pressure of being perfect. It points to a great God who is capable of caring for you and growing you. It is easier to experience the freedom that God has given us.

There are two characteristics of God that I often rely upon and ponder deeply. First of all, He is provident over my life. Nothing surprises Him and nothing happens without His knowledge. As Psalm 139 points out, He knows us intimately and entirely.

Secondly, He is good. Yes, He is good, and because of that I can rest and experience peace in the midst of my chaotic and challenging life. I may not understand Him or even agree with what He has ordained or allowed in my life, but if He is good then I can rest in that knowledge. And He is good. 

It’s easier (not gonna say easy!) to surrender and “lean back” because God IS our rock. He’s greater than Mount Yonah. I can lean back and trust that He will remain my God and my Friend. So, what are you experiencing that causes you to hesitate to lean back? Trust Him. Lean on!